Recording tablet dispenser

ABSTRACT

A disposable tablet dispenser which is also capable of indicating the time at which a tablet was dispensed, is provided. The dispenser is formed of at least two concentrically aligned cylinders. The innermost cylinder is provided with a means for dispensing a tablet therefrom into a tablet receptacle. The tablet receptacle is located in a dispensing means, which means when moved to a position from which a tablet may be dispensed, simultaneously moves the outermost cylinder about the innermost cylinder. By providing the outermost cylinder with spaced printing, such as the days of the week, the time at which a tablet was dispensed is indicated when the dispenser means moves the printed time to a designated location.

Harman, Jr. et al.

[451 Sept. 5, 1972 RECORDING TABLET DISPENSER Inventors: ArlingtonRaymond Harman, Jr., Manlius; Alphonse Peter Granatek, Baldwinsville,both of NY.

Bristol-Myers Company, New York, NY.

Filed: Oct. 12, 1970 App]. No.: 80,026

Assignee:

US. Cl. ..221/8, 206/42, 221/198 Int. Cl. ..B65d 83/04 Field of Search..221/2, 4, 5, 8, 197, 198, 279, 221/280, 287; 206/42 References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS Gervais ..221/198X 3,119,521 l/l964 Taylor..221/287 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Thomas E.Kocovsky Att0rney- -Herbert W. Taylor, Jr., Robert E. Havranek and JamesMage, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A disposable tablet dispenser which is also capable of Iindicating the time at which a tablet was dispensed, is provided. Thedispenser is formed of at least two concentrically aligned cylinders.The innermost cylinder is provided with a means for dispensing a tablettherefrom into a tablet receptacle. The tablet receptacle is located ina dispensing means, which means when moved to aposition from which atablet may be dispensed, simultaneously moves the outermost cylinderabout the innermost cylinder. By providing the outermost cylinder withspaced printing, such as the days of the week, the time at which atablet was dispensed is indicated when the dispenser means moves theprinted time to a designated location.

17 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP" 5 I972 SHEET 1 OF 4 INVENTORSA. R. HARMAN A. P. GRANATEK PATENTEI] 8E? 5 I97? sum 2 or 4 mm NFvim-30:04

INVENTORS A. R. HARMAN A. P GRANATEK PATENTEDSEP 5 I972 sum 3 or 4INVENTORS A. R. HARMAN A. P GRANATEK RECORDING TABLET DISPENSER FIELD OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to dispensing means. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to means for dispensing tabletssuch as medicaments and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Very often it is necessary-or desirable touse tablets at set times within an overall period. All to often therecollection of when the last tablet was used and when the next tabletis to be used is left entirely to the memory of the user. Such asituation, of course, results in errors which diminish the effectivenessof the tablets as a whole, and at times may actually be dangerous.

One area in which tablets are very often required to be used at settimes within an overall period, is in the treatment of a patient with amedicament. The particurecorded or otherwise indicated.

lar treatment and medicament used may be anyone of a number of wellknown types such as for example, the periodic and regular use ofantibiotic tablets to treat an infection.

Within this area of medicament treatment there is included the periodicuse of contraceptive pills. Treatment of a patient with contraceptivepills, in accordance with prevailing practice, requires that a womentake the first pill on the fifth day of her menstrual cycle andthereafter take one pill a day for 19 days. At the end of this 20 dayperiod and upon consumption of 20 pills, treatment is suspended and thepatient is allowed to experience her normal menstrual period. Upon thefifth'day of the menstrual period, treatment with 20 more contraceptivepills is resumed as before.

It is a well-acknowledged fact that to be effective, it

is absolutely necessary that a contraceptive pill be taken once a dayfor 20 straight days. Should the taking of a pill be inadvertentlyomitted on any one of these 20 days, the effectiveness of the treatmentis materially diminished. All too often the recollection of when thelast pill was taken and when the next pill is to be taken is leftentirely to the memory of the patient.

In many instances where means have been devised for indicating when thelast pill was taken, the means devised are either too inaccurate, tooinconvenient or too complicated to use, or are extremely expensive tomake and thus materially add to the cost of the pills.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to providethe tablet dispensing industry and particularly manufacturers and usersof contraceptive pills with a devise for dispensing pills and forindicating when such a pill has been taken, or otherwise directing theuser. Such a devise may be reusable or disposable, extremely accurate,convenient and uncomplicated to use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Generally speaking, the tablet dispensing devices contemplated by thisinvention are comprised of at least two concentrically aligned cylindermeans wherein the innermost cylinder means is provided with means fordispensing one or more tablets into a tablet receptacle. The tabletreceptacle is located in a means for receiving the tablets to bedispensed and upon movement of said means, carrying them to a positionBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages of the presentinvention will be more fully apparent in view of the detaileddescription, taken in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a tabletdispenser in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1, illustratingthe disposition of a tablet receiving and carrying means in thereceiving position;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional elevational view, with portions removedand broken away for the sake of clarity, of a cover means whichcomprises part of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cover means shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional elevational view, with portions removedand broken away for the sake of clarity, of the outermost cylinder meanswhich comprises part of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a partial elevational view, with portions removed and brokenaway for the sake of clarity, of the innermost cylinder means whichcomprises part of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the innermost cylinder means of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the tablet receiving and carryingmeans illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the tablet receiving and carrying means ofFIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional elevational view, with portions removedand broken away for the sake of clarity, of a tablet cartridge employedin the dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the tablet cartridge of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of atablet dispenser in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 12, illustratingthe disposition of its tablet receiving and carrying means in thedispensing position;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view, taken along the line 14- 14 of FIG. 2,illustrating the relative disposition of the various componentscomprising the assembled dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 14, with portions removedand broken away for the sake of clarity, illustrating the manner inwhich tablets are dispensed as the tablet receiving and carrying meansis moved from the receiving to the dispensing position; and

FIG. 16 is a sectional view, taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 13,illustrating the internal details of the assembled dispenser of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, and more particularly toFIGS. 1-11, 14 and 15, there is shown one embodiment of a tabletdispenser as contemplated by the present invention. As illustrated,.most clearly in FIG. 1, the tablet dispenser 1, which is convenientlycylindrical in shape and, for the most part, made of inexpensiveplastic, opaque or transparent, so that the dispenser 1 is inexpensiveto make-and thus disposable, comprises a disposable pill or tabletcartridge 10, an innermost cylinder means 30 adapted to receive thetablet cartridge 10, an outermost cylinder means 50, a tablet,

receiving and carrying means 70, and a cover means Referring moreparticularly to FIGS. 1 and 10, the tablet cartridge comprises avertically elongated cylindrical body 11 having a tablet containingaxial bore or passageway 12 extending, therethrough. The upper portionof the cylindrical body .11 is provided with an enlarged cross-section13 having external threads 14 adapted for intermeshing engagement withcorresponding internal threads 35 on the innermost cylinder means 30.The lower end of the cylindrical cartridge body 11 is provided with anenlarged cap means 15 which is rigidly connected to the cartridge bodyby means of radial connectors 16. The connectors 16 may be force fitted,cemented, glued or otherwise fastened to the cartridge body. Asillustrated in FIG. 10, the bottom surface 17 of the cap means 15preferably comprises a flexible material, such as plastic or rubber andis disposed below the lower end of the cartridge body 1 1 so thatexertion of a force against the surface 17, for example, by pressingones finger thereagainst, causes the surface 17 to distort and movetoward the bottom end of the cartridge body 11. Located at the bottomsurface 17, and extending upwardly therefrom and into the passageway 12is a tablet dispensing means consisting of a coil spring 18 and a tabletplatform 19. As illustrated, the passageway 12 is preferably providedwith projecting 'members 20 designed to retain the tablet platform 19inthe position shown in FIG. 10 until the platform is physically forcedpassed the projections by a force applied upwardly against the bottomsurface 17 of a cap means 15. While it is to be appreciated that anyconventional coil spring and platform may be used, the most preferredtype for the purposes of this invention are illustrated in the figures.Referring now to FIGS. 1, 6 and 14, there is illustrated one embodimentof an innermost cylinder means 30 suitable for use in combination withthe above-described tablet cartridge 10. Generally speaking, theinnermost cylinder means 30 is comprised of a cylindrical body 31 havinga longitudinally extending bore 32 for receiving the tablet cartridge10. As shown most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 14, the walls of the innermostcylinder means 30 which define the internal bore 32 are thickened instep-wise fashion near the upper end of the cylindrical body 31 todefine a first bore restriction 33 substantially equal in diameter tothe enlarged cross section 13 of the tablet cartridge 10, and a secondbore restriction 34 substantially equal in diameter to the diameter ofthe passageway 12 which extends through the tablet cartridge 10. Thebore restrictions 33 is provided with internal threads 35 forcooperating engagement with the threads 14 on the tablet cartridge 10such that when the table cartridge 10 is engaged with the innermostcylinder means 30, the restriction 34 is aligned with the passageway 12.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the upper end of the restriction 34terminates in a generally laterally extending groove or cut-out 36, thegroove 36 being larger than either the opening of the restriction34 orthe passageway 12. The radius of the groove 36 is sufficiently large tofacilitate the operation of the tablet receiving and carrying meansdescribed more fully hereinbelow. In a preferred embodiment, a portionof the groove 36 is provided with a second groove 37,

disposed generally transversely relative to the groove 36, to facilitateremoval of a tablet from the tablet receiving and carrying means whenthe latter means is disposed in its dispensing position. The top surface38 of the innermost cylinder means 30 is provided with a snap clampmeans 39 located at each end of the longitudinal groove 36. The snapclamp means 39 face one another and are provided with aligned snapgrooves 40 for receiving and retaining the tablet receiving and carryingmeans 70. The lowermost end of the cylindrical body 31 is provided witha thickened cross section to define an offset or flange-like portion 41which functions to support the means 30 on the radial connectors 16 andthe upper pheripheral surface of the cap means 15. As will be discussedmore fully hereinbelow, the cylindrical body 31 is also provided withthe second offset or flange-like portion 42 immediately above theflange-like portion 41.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 5 and 14, there is shown,

generally cylindrical outermost cylinder means 50 embodying certainprinciples of the present invention. As shown, the outermost cylindermeans 50 is provided at its upper end with gear teeth 51. At its lowerend, the cylinder means 50 is provided with an enlarged diameter section52 which cooperates with the flange-like portion 42 of the cylindermeans 30 to insure that the innermost cylinder means 30 and theoutermost cylinder means 50 are properly aligned. As illustrated in FIG.14, a space 53 between the enlarged diameter section 52 and the offset42 is provided with a conventional coil spring 54 which forces the gearteeth 51 into interacting relationship with the tablet receiving andcarrying means 70 as hereinafter described. Intermediate the oppositeends of the outermost cylinder means 50 there is provided, inlongitudinal columnar form, suitable indicia or displaying means, as forexample, printed or etched material such as the time of day, day ofweek, instructions as to how and when to take a tablet, or the like. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, for example, when the dispenser l is adapted fordispensing contraceptive pills, the cylinder means 50 is preferablyprovided with the days of the week printed longitudinally and equallyspaced around the circumference thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 8 and 9, there is illustrated one embodiment of atablet receiving and carrying means as contemplated by this invention.The tablet receiving and carrying means 70 is provided with a tabletreceptacle 71 which is slightly larger in diameter than the restriction34 and is sufficiently large to receive the number of tablets requiredto be used for any one feeding (i. e. as illustrated in FIG. 14, onlyone tablet is to be used at a time in this instance). The receptacle 71is located in a carrying wheel 72 and is sufiiciently large such thatwhen it receives a tablet and slides it over the surface of the groove36 and onto the surface of the groove 37, the tablet will not be chippedor broken. In order to insure that the receptacle 71 is properly alignedwith the upper end of the restriction 34 and grooves 36 and 37, axlemeans 73 are provided. The

axle means 73 extend substantially parallel with the and carrying means70 by securing it against any sub- 7 stantial lateral or transversemovement while allowing rotational movement thereof about thelongitudinal axis of axle means 73.

The tablet receiving and carrying means 70 is further provided withrotatable gear wheel 74 having thereon gear teeth 75 which, when thedispenser 1 is assembled, intermesh with gear teeth 51 to substantiallytheir full depth. In this respect, the gear teeth 75 and gear teeth 51are preferably arranged and shaped such that they provide a pawl andratchet type engagement. In other words, it is preferred that rotationof the gear wheel 74, for example, in the clockwise direction will causethe gear teeth 75 to intermesh with the gear teeth 51 so as to transmitrotation to the cylinder means 50; while rotation of the gear wheel 74in the counter-clockwise direction will cause the gear teeth 75 todisengage and slip over the gear teeth 51.

The tablet receiving and carrying means 70 is also provided with a tab76 to facilitate movement of the gear wheel 74 about the axle means 73.In FIG. 15, the tab 76 is shown in its vertical position so that atablet in the receptacle 71 is ready to be dispensed. In FIGS. 1, 2 and14, the tab 76 is shown in its horizontal position, and a tablet (FIG.14) is shown being dispensed into the receptacle 71 from a column oftablets disposed in the passageway 12 by the upward pressure of the coilspring 18 on the platform 19. Thus, once a tablet is dispensed intoreceptacle 71, the tab 76 may be moved from its horizontal position toits vertical position to thereby carry a tablet to a position from whichit may be dispensed.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, the dispenser 1 is providedwith a cover means 80. The cover means 80 may be formed of anyconvenient material such as opaque plastic and is of sufficient size sothat, as illustrated, it will fit concentrically over the smallerdiameter section of outermost cylinder means 50 and so that its lowerend 81 will rest in overlapping fashion on the outer and upper surface55 of enlarged diameter section 52. The cover means 80 is provided inits side wall with a view window or slot 82 which, when dispenser 1 isassembled, will be aligned with the outermost cylinder means 50 so thatone day of the week (i.e. one longitudinal recording on the cylindermeans 50) can be seen.

The cover 80 is further provided with guide plates 83 which have a slot84 therein. The guide plates 83 are so aligned that when cover 80 isplaced over dispenser 1, the slots 84 fit over the axle means 73 andguide plates 83fit abutingly and engagingly into offset grooves 43 ofthe snap clamp 39. In this manner, guide plates 83 may be glued orotherwise secured to the walls of offset grooves 43; thus securing thecover to the rest of dispenser 1.

The cover 80 is further provided with tab slot 85. The tab slot extendsinto cover 80 about one half of its cylindrical diameter. In addition,the tab slot 85 extends downwardly into cover 80 to the point ofintersection with the extension of the horizontal diameter of tabletreceiving and carrying means 70. Such alignment of tab slot 85, when tab76 extends therethrough and beyond, serves as a guide and stop mechanismfor tab 76, whereby tab 76 and means 70 can only be rotated about Ofcourse, it is clear that such an angle is in no way critical since inanother embodiment tab slot 85 may extendacross the entire width ofcover 80, thus allowing tab 76 and means 70 to be rotated a fullHowever, 90 of rotation is sufficient for the purposes of this inventionand thus is preferred.

The cover means 80 is further provided with an offset space 86. Theoffset space 86 is so designed that when cover 80 is inserted over theinternal works of the dispenser l, the gear wheel 74 movably fitstherein.

In order to insure that the indicia appearing through view window 82 arenot moved or jarred out of alignment upon return of tab 76 from itsvertical to itshorizontal position (i.e. the return of tablet receivingits receiving position), counter-rotation pin or stop means 87 isprovided in a wall of the cover means 80. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and4, the counter-rotation pin 87 is sufficiently long so as to extend intoengaging contact with teeth 51 of cylinder means 50. In addition, pin 87is located at a point on the wall of cover means 80 so that it doesnotextend sufiiciently far into a recess 56 of teeth 51 to causedisengagement of teeth 51 with teeth 75 when the tab 76 is moved fromits horizontal to its vertical position. For example, if teeth 51 and 75are 3/64 inch in depth and means 70 is so aligned with cylinder means 50that teeth 75 and 51 substantially completely mesh, the pin 87 should bepositioned so as to extend only about 1/64 inch into the depth of teeth51. Thus, when the tab 76 is rotated from horizontal to vertical duringtablet dispensing, teeth 51 and cylinder means 50 will be depresseddownwardly against coil spring 18 only l/64 inch, leaving 2/64 inchengagement with teeth 75 to insure complete rotation and accuratealignment of the indicia on cylinder means 50 in viewwindow 82. Uponreturn of tab 76 from its vertical to its horizontal position to enablereceptacle 71 to be refilled with another tablet, teeth 75 will slideover teeth 51 while pin 87 prevents counter-rotation of teeth 51 andcylinder means 50. The ability of the tablet receiving and carryingmeans 70 to return to the position shown in FIG. 1, i.e., with the tab76 in the horizontal position, is provided by a downward movement ofcylinder means 50 against the pressure exerted by the spring 54, therebyallowing the teeth 75 to slide past the teeth 51. This downward movementis not great enough to permit the teeth 51 to disengage from the pin 87.Since gear systems of this type are conventional, actual construction ofthis mechanism, including tolerances etc. will depend upon theindividual dispenser used and is well within the skill of the artisan.

In assembling the dispenser 1, the outermost cylinder means 50 isslipped over the innermost cylinder means 30 with the spring 54 inplace. The tablet receiving and carrying means 70 is then fit into thetop of the innermost cylinder means 30 and is held in place by the covermeans 80 which is fitted concentrically over the cylinder means 50 andcemented orv otherwise fastened to the top thereof. The tablet cartridge10 is then assembled by inserting the tablet platform 19 into the coilspring 18, inserting the spring 18 into the passageway 12, and thensimultaneously compressing the spring 18 and moving the platform 19 tothe position shown in FIG. 10 by filling the passageway 12 with a stackof tablets. Next, a fully assembled tablet cartridge 10 is inserted intothe innermost cylinder means 30 such that the threads 14 and 35 aremutually engaged. Finally, the bottom surface 17 on the cap means ispressed to force the tablet platform 19 past the restraining projectionsso that the coil spring 18 tends to expand and thereby advance thetablet platform 19 toward the receptacle 71. Of course, the actualsequence of steps necessary to assemble the dispenser 1 may vary asdesired. In addition, the invention also contemplates the use ofpre-assembled tablet cartridges 10 which can be purchased from apharmacy, for example, and which will relieve the user from having tohandle loose tablets and from having to determine the proper number oftablets, or the order in which such tablets should be stacked in thepassageway 12. Of course, such tablet cartridges would include a cap orclosure means over the upper opening of the passageway 12 to preventinadvertent loss of the tablets contained therein.

Another embodiment of a tablet dispenser contemplated by the presentinvention is shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 15. For the most part, thisdispenser, designated generally as 100, is the same as that previouslydescribed. In fact, the dispenser 100 may employ the same cover means80, outermost cylinder means 50 and tablet receiving and'carrying means70 as employed in the dispenser 1. As illustrated most clearly in FIGS.12 and 15, the dispenser 100 differs from the dispenser 1 in that itcomprises an innermost cylinder means 300 which replaces the innermostcylinder means and the tablet cartridge 10 of the dispenser 1. Inaddition, the dispenser 100 includes a base plate 350 which is cementedor otherwise bonded to the innermost cylinder means 300. Moreparticularly, the innermost cylinder means 300 comprises a cylindricalbody having a longitudinally extending passageway 30] which extends onlypartially through the cylinder means 300 and which terminates at a wall302. Located at the wall 302 and extending upwardly therefrom is atablet dispensing means consisting of a coil spring 303 and a tabletplatform 304. As is the case with the dispenser 1, any well known typeof coil spring and platform may be used in conjunction with thedispenser 100.

At its open end 305, the cylindrical passageway 301 I terminates in agenerally laterally extending groove or cut-out 306. In operation, thecoil spring 303 is compressed and the platform 304 carries a designatednumber of tablets which are dispensed as hereinafter more fullydescribed through the opened end 305 of the passageway 301. The lateralgroove 306 is larger than the open end 305 and is of sufficient radiussuch that when a tablet is removed therefrom by the tablet receiving andcarrying means 70, the tablet will slide freely without breakage. As isthe case with the innermost cylinder means 30, a second groove 307 isprovided generally transversely across part of the groove 306 tofacilitate removal of a tablet from the receptacle 71 of the tabletreceiving and carrying means when the latter is disposed in thedispensing position. On the top surface 308 of the cylinder means 300there is provided a snap clamp 309 located at each end of the lateralgroove 306. The snap clamps 309 face one another and are provided withaligned snap grooves 310 for receiving and retaining the tabletreceiving and carrying means 70. The snap clamps 309 are also providedwith offset grooves 311 which correspond to the offset grooves 43 of thesnap clamps 39.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 12 and 16, a dispenser 100 is providedwith a base plate 350. Located in the center of the base plate 350 is alongitudinal hole or bore 351 extending through the entire length of thebase plate. The hole 350 is of sufficient diameter, as illustrated inFIG. 16, so that the lower end of the innermost cylinder means 300 maybe inserted therein and then glued or otherwise permanently attached tothe base 350. As illustrated, when the cylindrical means 300 is insertedinto the hole 351, the bottom or outside surface of wall 302 is flushwith the bottom surface of the base plate. 0n the upper surface of thebase plate, there are located at evenly spaced intervals, four guidebars 352. These guide bars 352 serve to retain the outermost cylindermeans 50 in proper alignment with the innermost cylinder means 300 aswell as to preserve the integrity of the offset space 53 and theposition of the coil spring 54.

In assembling the dispenser 100, the tablet platform 304 is placed inthe coil spring 303 and this subassembly is then dropped longitudinallyinto the passageway 301 so that the coil spring 303 abuts wall 302. Theinnermost cylinder means 300 is then glued or otherwise fastened in thehole 351 of the base plate 350 as heretofore described. The base plate350 is then provided with the coil spring 54 which surrounds the guides352. The outermost cylinder means 50 is then slid down over the cylindermeans 300 and guides 352 until the offset space 53 is formed and thecylinder means 50 engages the coil spring 54. The passageway 302 is thenfilled with, for example, 20 contraceptive tablets and if desired, fourplaceboes. It is to be understood, of course, that the coil spring 303is sufficiently expandable so that the platform 304 will push each andevery tablet into the receptacle 71 even though a tablet may be the lastone left. With the tablets loaded and the coil spring 303 held incompression, the tablet carrying and receiving means 70 is snapped intoplace in grooves 310 of clamps 309, thus holding the coil spring 303 incompression. Assembly cover means over the partially assembled dispenserand then gluing or otherwise attaching the cover means 80 in place onthe offset grooves 311 of the clamps 309. After assembly in theabove-described manner, the dispenser 1 and/or may then be given to apatient for use.

In those instances where four placeboes are included as the first fourpills to be dispensed, the patient, on the first day of her menstrualperiod, say for example MONDAY, merely grasps enlarged diameter section52 of the outermost cylinder means 50 and pulls the cylinder means 50down sufficiently far to disengage the teeth 51 from teeth 75. With thegear teeth disengaged, the patient then rotates section 52 (i.e.cylinder means 50) until the word MONDAY is recorded in the view-window82. Section 52 is then released and the spring coil 54 forces the'teeth51 to re-engage with the teeth 75. The patient then makes sure that thetab 76 is fully in its horizontal position to insure that a pill hasbeen dispensed into receptacle 71. With this adjustment accomplished,the patient then rotates the tab 76, 90 to its vertical position. Bydoing so the cylinder means 50 is rotated so that the word TUESDAY nowappears in view-window 82. The patient then takes the pill (placebo) andreturns the tab 76 to its horizontal position. Because of the pin 87etc. such a return is accomplished without any substantial movement ofthe word TUESDAY out of alignment with view-window 82. The next pill (orplacebo) is then forced into the receptacle 71. The indicia or recordingin the view-window 82 indicates to the patient that she must take hernext pill on TUESDAY. Obviously, by using four placeboes the fifth dayof the menstrual period results in the dispensing of a truecontraceptive pill. Although placeboes need not be used, they arepreferred, since there is less change of error if a patient need onlyremember to start taking pills on the first day of her menstrual period,rather than having to remember to count days into this period.

Alternatively, instead of recording the day on which the next pill mustbe taken, the dispenser l or 100 may be used to record the last day onwhich a pill was taken. The patient may accomplish this simply bedispensing and taking the first pill (or placebo) and then adjusting thecylinder means 50 as hereinbefore described so that view-window 82indicates the day on which she took the pill. Thereafter, the dispenser1 or 100 will record the day on which the patient has taken the pill andthereby indicates to her the next day on which she must take the pill.

In order to avoid any confusion in the mind of the patient as to whichadjusting procedure she has used or should use, directions may beprovided, for example, over the view-window 82. Such directions mayread, for example, Day on Which LAST Pill was Taken. When thesedirections are printed on the cover means 80 above the view-window 82,the patient is merely instructed to use the appropriate adjustingprocedure. Accuracy is thereby assured and the risk of errant treatmentis materially reduced.

Once given the above disclosure it will become clear that the tabletdispensers of this invention maybe used to dispense tablets generallyand are not limited to use as contraceptive pill dispensers. inaddition, and once given the above disclosure, many other features,modifications, and embodiments of this invention will become apparent tothe skilled artisan. Such features, modifications, and embodiments aretherefore considered within this invention, the scope of which is to bedetermined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A tablet dispenser comprising:

a. concentrically aligned inner and outer cylinders, said inner cylinderhaving therein means for dispensing at least one tablet into a tabletreceptacle;

. said tablet receptacle being located in a means for receiving thetablets to be dispensed and, upon movement of said means, carrying saidtablets to a position from which they may be dispensed, said tabletreceiving and carrying means comprises a carrying whee] having thereinsaid tablet receptacle, gear means for interconnecting said tabletreceiving and carrying means with said outer cylinder, axle meansconnecting said carrying wheel and said gear means, and means forrotating said carrying wheel and gear wheel about said axle means;

. said outer cylinder being connected to said tablet receiving andcarrying means of (b) above, such that upon movement of said tabletreceiving and carrying means from its receiving position to itsdispensing position, said outer cylinder is caused to revolve about saidinner cylinder; and

. recording means, located at least in part on said outer cylinder, forrecording the movement of said tablet receiving and carrying means fromits receiving position to its dispensing position.

2. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means fordispensing at least one tablet into a tablet receptacle is comprised ofa cylindrical passageway longitudinally located in said inner cylinder,a coil spring, and a tablet platform, said coil spring being located inabutting fashion with a lower terminal wall of said cylindricalpassageway and extending longitudinally upwardly therein, said tabletplatform being located, at least in part, at the upper end of said coilspring.

3. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 2 wherein saidcylindrical passage is longitudinally located in a tablet cartridgethreadedly engaged and longitudinally located in said inner cylinder,and

wall spaced a predetermined distance from the bottom of said passageway,said flexible wall being movable toward the said bottom of saidpassageway in response to pressure applied against said wall.

4. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gear meanscomprises a gear wheel having teeth therein and wherein said outercylinder comprises teeth on one end thereof which intermesh with theteeth of said gear wheel to interconnect said outer cylinder and saidtablet receiving and carrying means such that when said gear means isrotated in the direction of mesh said outermost cylinder is revolved apredetermined distance about said inner cylinder.

5. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 4 further including acover means concentrically located about said outer cylinder, said covermeans having a predisposed view-window such that a predetermined whichalso includes a base plate, said base plate being attached to a portionof said inner cylinder and being so located as to define acircumferential space between a surface thereof and a portion of saidouter cylinder,

and spring means located circumferentially in said space for forcing theteeth of said outer cylinder into meshing relationship with the teeth ofsaid gear means. 7. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim furtherincludinga tablet cartridge threadedly engaged and longitudinallylocated in said inner cylinder, said cartridge including saidcylindrical passageway,

cap means fixedly connected to the lower end of said cartridge, said capmeans comprising a flexible bottom wall spaced a predetermined distancefrom said lower end of said cartridge for supporting said coil springand tablet platform,

each of saidinner and outer cylinders having an enlarged diametersection at their respective lower ends to define a circumferential spacebetween an outer surface of said inner cylinder and an inner surface ofsaid outer cylinder, and

spring means located circumferentially in said space for forcing theteeth of said outer cylinder into meshing relationship with the teeth ofsaid gear means. I

8. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 6 further includingcounter-rotation means for preventing the rotation of said outercylinder about said inner cylinder when said gear means is rotated in adirection opposite to the direction of mesh. 9. A tablet dispenser inaccordance with claim 7 further including counter-rotation means forpreventing the rotation of said outer cylinder about said inner cylinderwhen said gear means is rotated in a direction opposite to the directionof mesh.

10. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 8 wherein saidcounter-rotation means comprises a pin located in a wall of said covermeans, said pin extend ing longitudinally therefrom into at least aportion of a recess defined by the teeth of said outer cylinder.

11. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 9 wherein saidcounter-rotation means comprises a pin located in a wall of said. covermeans, said pin extending longitudinally therefrom into at leastaportion of a wherein said inner cylinder includes a laterally extendinggroove in its upper surface into which said cylindrical passagewayterminates, said inner cylinder also including clamp means for holdingand aligning said axle means which connects said gear means with saidcarrying wheel in such a manner that when said tablet receiving andcarrying means is in its receiving position, said tablet receptacle isaligned over the terminal end of said cylindrical hole, said laterallyextending groove being larger in width than the diameter of saidcylindrical hole.

13. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 11 wherein said innercylinder includes a laterally extendgroove being larger in width thanthe diameter of said c lindrical hole.

l4. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 12 wherein a portion ofsaid lateral groove is provided with a second groove generallyperpendicularly disposed relative to said lateral groove and to thelongitudinal axis of said inner cylinder, said second groove extendingto the periphery of said inner cylinder.

15. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 13 wherein a portion ofsaid lateral groove is provided with a second groove generallyperpendicularly disposed relative to said lateral groove and to thelongitudinal axis of said inner cylinder, said second groove extendingto the periphery of said inner cylinder.

16. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 10 wherein saidrecording means records a different day of the week through saidview-window each time a tablet is dispensed therefrom.

17. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 11 wherein saidrecording means records a different day of the week through saidview-window each time a tablet is dispensed therefrom.

1. A tablet dispenser comprising: a. concentrically aligned inner andouter cylinders, said inner cylinder having therein means for dispensingat least one tablet into a tablet receptacle; b. said tablet receptaclebeing located in a means for receiving the tablets to be dispensed and,upon movement of said means, carrying said tablets to a position fromwhich they may be dispensed, said tablet receiving and carrying meanscomprises a carrying wheel having therein said tablet receptacle, gearmeans for interconnecting said tablet receiving and carrying means withsaid outer cylinder, axle means connecting said carrying wheel and saidgear means, and means for rotating said carrying wheel and gear wheelabout said axle means; c. said outer cylinder being connected to saidtablet receiving and carrying means of (b) above, such that uponmovement of said tablet receiving and carrying means from its receivingposition to its dispensing position, said outer cylinder is caused torevolve about said inner cylinder; and d. recording means, located atleast in part on said outer cylinder, for recording the movement of saidtablet receiving and carrying means from its receiving position to itsdispensing position.
 2. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 1wherein said means for dispensing at least one tablet into a tabletreceptacle is comprised of a cylindrical passageway longitudinallylocated in said inner cylinder, a coil spring, and a tablet platform,said coil spring being located in abutting fashion with a lower terminalwall of said cylindrical passageway and extending longitudinallyupwardly therein, said tablet platform being located, at least in part,at the upper end of said coil spring.
 3. A tablet dispenser inaccordance with claim 2 wherein said cylindrical passage islongitudinally located in a tablet cartridge threadedly engaged andlongitudinally located in said inner cylinder, and wherein said lowerterminal wall comprises a flexible wall spaced a predetermined distancefrom the bottom of said passageway, said flexible wall being movabletoward the said bottom of said passageway in response to pressureapplied against said wall.
 4. A tablet dispenser in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said gear means comprises a gear wheel having teeththerein and wherein said outer cylinder comprises teeth on one endthereof which intermesh with the teeth of said gear wheel tointerconnect said outer cylinder and said tablet receiving and carryingmeans such that when said gear means is rotated in the direction of meshsaid outermost cylinder is revolved a predetermined distance about saidinner cylinder.
 5. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 4 furtherincluding a cover means concentrically located about said outercylinder, said cover means having a predisposed view-window such that apredetermined portion of said recording means will be viewable throughsaid view window when said tablet receiving and carrying means is in itsreceiving position.
 6. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 5which also includes a base plate, said base plate being attached to aportion of said inner cylinder and being so located as to define acircumferential space between a surface thereof and a portion of saidouter cylinder, and spring means located circumferentially in said spacefor forcing the teeth of said outer cylinder into meshing relationshipwith the teeth of said gear means.
 7. A tablet dispenser in accordancewith claim 5 further including a tablet cartridge threadedly engaged andlongitudinally located in said inner cylinder, said cartridge includingsaid cylindrical passageway, cap means fixedly connected to the lowerend of said cartridge, said cap means comprising a flexible bottom wallspaced a predetermined distance from said lower end of said cartridgefor supporting said coil spring and tablet platform, each of said innerand outer cylinders having an enlarged diameter section at theirrespective lower ends to define a circumferential space between an outersurface of said inner cylinder and an inner surface of said outercylinder, and spring means located circumferentially in said space forforcing the teeth of said outer cylinder into meshing relationship withthe teeth of said gear means.
 8. A tablet dispenser in accordance withclaim 6 further including counter-rotation means for preventing therotation of said outer cylinder about said inner cylinder when said gearmeans is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of mesh.
 9. Atablet dispenser in accordance with claim 7 further includingcoUnter-rotation means for preventing the rotation of said outercylinder about said inner cylinder when said gear means is rotated in adirection opposite to the direction of mesh.
 10. A tablet dispenser inaccordance with claim 8 wherein said counter-rotation means comprises apin located in a wall of said cover means, said pin extendinglongitudinally therefrom into at least a portion of a recess defined bythe teeth of said outer cylinder.
 11. A tablet dispenser in accordancewith claim 9 wherein said counter-rotation means comprises a pin locatedin a wall of said cover means, said pin extending longitudinallytherefrom into at least a portion of a recess defined by the teeth ofsaid outer cylinder.
 12. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 10wherein said inner cylinder includes a laterally extending groove in itsupper surface into which said cylindrical passageway terminates, saidinner cylinder also including clamp means for holding and aligning saidaxle means which connects said gear means with said carrying wheel insuch a manner that when said tablet receiving and carrying means is inits receiving position, said tablet receptacle is aligned over theterminal end of said cylindrical hole, said laterally extending groovebeing larger in width than the diameter of said cylindrical hole.
 13. Atablet dispenser in accordance with claim 11 wherein said inner cylinderincludes a laterally extending groove in its upper surface into whichsaid cylindrical passageway terminates, said inner cylinder alsoincluding clamp means for holding and aligning said axle means whichconnects said gear means with said carrying wheel in such a manner thatwhen said tablet receiving and carrying means is in its receivingposition, said tablet receptacle is aligned over the terminal end ofsaid cylindrical hole, said laterally extending groove being larger inwidth than the diameter of said cylindrical hole.
 14. A tablet dispenserin accordance with claim 12 wherein a portion of said lateral groove isprovided with a second groove generally perpendicularly disposedrelative to said lateral groove and to the longitudinal axis of saidinner cylinder, said second groove extending to the periphery of saidinner cylinder.
 15. A tablet dispenser in accordance with claim 13wherein a portion of said lateral groove is provided with a secondgroove generally perpendicularly disposed relative to said lateralgroove and to the longitudinal axis of said inner cylinder, said secondgroove extending to the periphery of said inner cylinder.
 16. A tabletdispenser in accordance with claim 10 wherein said recording meansrecords a different day of the week through said view-window each time atablet is dispensed therefrom.
 17. A tablet dispenser in accordance withclaim 11 wherein said recording means records a different day of theweek through said view-window each time a tablet is dispensed therefrom.